The Next Generation: The Fifth One
by Reese S. Quill
Summary: After a fight with my mom, a plane ride from America, and a run-in with a dark witch, you would probably think that I'm relieved that I finally got to the Hogwarts Express. You would be wrong.
1. Chapter 1: The Fifth Founder

**Chapter 1: The Fifth Founder**

**Abby's POV**

**Author's Note: CONSTRUCTIVE criticism and suggestions welcome! Please R&R! I want at least one review before I write the next chapter. Thanks! :)**

After a fight with my mom, a plane ride from America, and a run-in with a dark witch, you would probably think that I'm relieved that I finally got to the Hogwarts Express. You would be wrong. This is where my mission is going to start…and probably where I'm going to meet the four that would help me. Now, I know what you're thinking. _Harry Potter saved the Wizard World! There are no more threats! _Well, to fully explain it you, I guess I have to go a few months ago, in the start of my summer vacation.

My mother owns a school in America. Yes, my mother. Yes, it's in America. It's not as big as what I've heard Hogwarts is. It's one of those kinds of schools that are regular houses with only one teacher. So you can see, with fifty students running around your home, you really need some private space. That's why I used the attic.

Technically, I wasn't supposed to be in there. The school/house has been in my family for who-knows-how-long, and all the stuff that people left behind gets stored in the attic. There are some pretty valuable relics that I'm not supposed to look at, let alone touch. Still, like I said, a girl needs some private space. That's where I was reading when I heard my mom scream.

I panicked. You would too, if you ever heard your mom shout like that. What could it be? Dementors? Death Eaters? Spiders? Any of those could've been a possibility. Instead, I found my mom yelling at a book. That's right, a book. The normal kind which just has words and moving pictures on it, not the dark ones. I was confused. Then she turned to me. She was very, very angry. Angrier than I've ever seen her before, which is saying something since Kyle Davidson really drives her to the max.

"How…HOW….could you bring this….this THING….inside the house!" She was shaking. She held it up. The title was _Hogwarts, A History. _"You know PERFECTLY well that I don't allow books about OTHER schools n the library!"

"Hogwarts is a school?" I asked. If it was, I've never heard of it. My mom did say that things about other schools weren't allowed, but I honestly didn't know about Hogwarts. She never even mentioned it.

"Don't play dumb, young lady! YOU ARE GROUNDED! TWO WEEKS!" With that, she threw the book out of the window.

I was mad. I was grounded, and it wasn't even my fault! True, I did order it. True, I could've read the description a teeny bit more carefully. Still, it wasn't fair! So I decided to commit the crime I was grounded for. I read the book.

It was easy, really. Mom didn't even check if the book landed in the trash. Instead, it was in the bushes. So I just waved my hands and summoned it. Yes, I did say my hands. That's another strange thing about my family: We're all more powerful when we don't have wands. A bit weird, huh? So anyway, I started reading.

It was boring. I didn't have a clue why my mom banned it. It seemed like something Jane would read, and she would only read school textbooks. It was just like any old magical institution. Any wizards or witches were accepted as soon as they were eleven. It had huge grounds, a forest, a quidditch pitch, a library, and a lake. Not to mention it was a castle. It's boring, I chanted to myself, trying not to think of the small front yard, the squished bedrooms, and shallow pond.

The only thing that was really interesting was the founders. I felt connected to them, somehow. Gryffindor was the brave one; Slytherin was cunning; Ravenclaw was wise; and Hufflepuff was hard-working. They made the school and taught the students themselves. I kind of wondered what it would be like to know them. I mean, there's more to them than that, right? Like, Gryffindor can't be only brave. You can't be brave going to the toilet, can you? So then they started arguing. They only wanted to teach the students that had their aspects. So they decided to divide the school in houses, and for a time, everything was peaceful. Then the fighting started again, this time much worse. They were actually killing each other. Then….something calmed them down. No one knows what. Some people say that it was Salazar leaving that did it. For some reason, I didn't think so. I didn't think he'd just abandon his house to fight everyone. Most likely, he left after the fighting. Then, what caused everyone to calm down? Why did he leave? It made no sense to me.

It probably would have stayed that way, if it wasn't for my mom. The next night, she made me put the little ones to bed. That was the worst chore ever. Did you ever have to put a little sister or brother to bed? If you didn't, just imagine a small but still dangerous animal hopping around the room and if you dared harm her _you _would be sent to your room and made to stay there. Now imagine about fifteen of those wild little animals, all kicking and wailing for you to sing them a lullaby or read them a bed time story. I was not in a good mood when I was done.

I went in the attic again, and this time I started poking around. I don't do this a lot, only when I'm really frustrated. Then I found a journal. I read the cover. It was written by Abigail Apperisina, my great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandmother, who founded the school and who I was named after. Absent-mindedly, I flipped the page and began reading.

Today, we have finally solidified our plans! I was so excited, I scared the house elf out of the room. The group laughed at my antics. Then Rowena recommended me to start a journal to be able to let out my feelings more…peacefully. This called for another burst of laughter. Still, they could not blame me. We were all glad about our plans. This is it; the thing that we were dreaming for since we were mere children! We will create Hogwarts!

I froze, shocked. My ancestor helped create…Hogwarts? What? I couldn't believe it. Quickly, I kept reading.

_I remembered the time when we first discussed it. We had all just but met, so we were a bit shy. Then our parents begged us to show our skills. All of us stepped to the middle of the banquet, each confident that their magic was better than the rest. First, Godric walked up to the stage in a daring stride. A boy with short, brown hair and a broad chest, he was by far the handsomest of us. He made several lions appear out of nowhere. He therefore began wrestling with them until they dropped down, tired. All the while, he used his wit to keep us entertained. That, we were._

_Next came Salazar, a thin, wiry young lad with hair as long as a horse's tail with the color of an apple that Midas had touched. He started producing several snakes and coaxing them out of his hat using parseltongue. He made them do a strange dance, coiling and leaping around each other until they, to everyone's amusement, formed the shape of a ribbon. _

_After that was Rowena. Her fair hair wove around her head beautifully, and her brown eyes shown with determination. I can never remember what she did. She probably recited a poem or played some wonderful instrument that she had made herself. Whatever had happened, we were all in tears when she left. _

_Then it was Helga, a sweet, plump maiden with a mop of red hair who made a dish so fine that everyone proclaimed that it was the best thing they ever tasted. She modestly curtsied and retreated to the shadows. _

_So the stage was mine. Me, a skinny girl with long, black hair framing my small face. I probably would have shrunk away with my head hidden in my hands, but for the wanting to prove myself to the others. I sang a simple, sweet song. It told the children's story of 'The Fountain of Fair Fortune.' With it, I made an illusion that we were there beside them. We truly saw the clever witches, the humble knight, the daring obstacles, and finally, the happy ending. They were amazed that I did this with only my hands. It was a strange predicament that my family is more powerful in doing magic using our hands rather than wands. My performance, to my delight, gave me a round of hearty applause._

_After that, we all walked out together, arm in arm. None of us had ever found equals in magic. I had revealed my dream of making a school. To my surprise, they said they wanted to do the same. We knew together, we could not fail. _

My ancestor was one of the founders? Then, why wasn't she ever mentioned. I scanned a few more pages. It was all about making the castle and planning lessons. I skipped until there were only a few entries left.

_It was an absolute war! Godric and Salazar, who were once great friends, turned against each other. With them, their houses joined. Rowena and Helga were forced to choose sides; Rowena accompanied Salazar, Helga went to Godric. They then looked to me, but I refused to make the choice. It was absolute madness! Pure chaos! When I had first pictured Hogwarts in my mind's eye, it did not look like this. We were turning against each other. Students were killing students. I knew it was not a good idea to divide it in to houses. When they did, I decided not have my own, helping all the students, whether they be Slytherin, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, or Hufflepuff. Tears streaming down my cheeks, I ran up to my chamber. They did not notice, since they were only glaring at each other from across the table. _

_I knew what to do. Even though it broke my heart, I knew I would have to leave. It was the only thing that would get them to stop. I also knew what would happen. One of them, probably Salazar, would search for me. The rest would take care of the school. When they had given up, they would weave a memory spell so strong so that none would remember me._

_Now, after all these months, I had made a small school of my own in America. I only have a few students, but at least they get along. I look for news, and I find bits and pieces of Hogwarts. The war had ended. Salazar has indeed left to search for me, but I know he would fail. They have cast the memory spell. I knew they would rejoice if I had returned, but I knew I could not. It would start the battle all over again. I had failed to unite the school. Still, there is some hope left. There was a prophecy-_

It had ended. The rest was lost. Still, I knew enough. I was speechless. Then the moment passed, and, like my ancestor, I knew what to do. I had to go back to Hogwarts.

Persuading my mother to do it was a different thing, however. We had a yelling match at dinner- in front of the whole school.

"WHY ON EARTH DO YOU WANT TO GO T-TO HOGWARTS?" She spluttered.

"That's where I belong," I replied calmly. "If what I've read is true, all of us-including you, mom- belong there, too."

"And where exactly did you read that?" She said her voice dangerously quiet. I gave her the book. In an instant, she tore it all up.

"Mum!" I said, exasperated. I wiggled my fingers slightly. "Reparo!" Instantly, the book mended itself. "You taught me the repair spell yourself."

"YOU ARE NOT GOING TO SOME CHEAP SCHOOL! THERE WAS A WAR THERE ONLY NINETEEN YEARS AGO!" My mom exploded. "THIS IS EXACTLY WHY I DIDN'T HELP! AND WORST, IT'S ON THE VERGE OF HAPPENING AGAIN!"

I gasped. "It's happening…again?"

She put her hands over her mouth. "I didn't mean to say that," she mumbled.

"Mother-"

"Abigail, you are not the only one who tried to do this stupid task," She said, her voice trembling. "Your aunt tried. She had died. Did you know that? There are people who don't want the school in order. There's going to be another war. It would be suicide to stop it."

"How would you know? You didn't even try," I blurted out.

Everyone was watching, wondering what she would say next. Her usually pale face was red. She was shaking, and her hands were curled in to fists. Several minutes passed. Then, she took a deep breath, and said, "No."

That was it. No talking back. When she uses that tone of voice, I never argued. This time, though, I did. I don't know why, but I just really needed to do this. So I said, "Sorry, Mom, but I'm not asking. I'm telling you. I'll get to Hogwarts either with your help…or without it."  
Her eyes widened. I've never talked to her in this way before, and I felt really, really guilty about it. Still, I stared at her firmly, until at last she gave a defeated sort of sigh. "Pack your bags. If this school isn't good enough for you, then go."

Even though it wasn't the friendliest thing she's ever said to me, I gave her a hug. This is it! I was really going to Hogwarts! I grabbed my clothes, my Cleansweep 88, my owl, and stuffed them in my bag. Then I opened it again and let my owl out.

"Sorry, Glinda," I said sheepishly.

I woke up early the next day, even though I'm usually a late sleeper. I had to, since the day after that was September 1st. Thanks to _Hogwarts, A History _I knew how to get in the platform. I planned to grab some bread and butter and wait for my mom to wake up. She was already there.

I expected her to go on a rant, but instead she gathered me up in her arms and started crying. I suddenly realized that I wouldn't be seeing her again for a whole year, since we could only afford a plane ticket once. For the first time, I started questioning on whether uniting the school or whatever is important enough to leave my mom. Then I remembered that line: _Students started killing students. _Then what my mother said: _It's on the verge of happening again. _I really had to do this.

Mom drove me to the airport. She walked with me until a security guard said that she couldn't go any farther. Her lip started quivering, and she pulled me in to another hug. She whispered, "Take care, darling. Remember what I said; there are people who are going to try and stop you. The war has only truly just begun. Come back home in the first sign of trouble." Then she turned back and left. First she doesn't tell me anything, then she expects me to know everything, then when I do she gets angry, then when she calms down she warns me that a war is coming. Typical.

I slept most of the flight. In fact, I only woke up when the flight attendant had poked me three times. Blearily, I made my way to a taxi after collecting my bags. It was about 8:10, so it would take a bit more time for the other kids to get to the platform. Hopefully I could get some shut-eye.

When I saw the Hogwarts Express, however, all thoughts of sleep left me. My jaw dropped open. I knew that it was here ever since the school was around, but it shined like a new penny. Steam surrounded it, giving it an air of a ghost-train. All in all, it looked awesome.

I sat on a bench and put my head on my bag. Then-I don't know how it happened- a witch was sitting next to me. I rubbed my eyes. I know that witches can apparate, but there was no way she could have landed next to me so quietly. Her eyes had a cruel glint. She had long, black hair tied up in a bun, with pale face, and blood red lips. Great. Mrs. Dracula.

"Hello, Abigail," She smiled.

I blinked. "Er, hi."

OK, it wasn't that cool, but what else was I supposed to say?

She laughed. She had a sweet, deadly voice. For a moment I actually thought she was nice. Then I found my hands around my back. My head was cupped in her hands, her fingers pointing inward so that her nails dug in to my skin. I blanched. I was the top of my class and she still beat me in less then three seconds!

She put her face really close to mine. "Listen carefully, Daughter of the fifth one," She said in a low voice, as if she was sharing a secret. "Your time is limited. Your mission will fail. You will tear the school apart, instead of uniting it. You will never get them ready in time for the battle."

I sat up straight. "What battle?"

She laughed again. "Voldemort was selfish and impatient. He was a fool. He could never have gone that far if it weren't for me. See all the chaos I made, with just a helping hand-no, finger. Face it, little witch. You cannot win. And I, the Abandoned, will rise again." In saying that, she took out a blackthorn wand, and pointed it directly at me. Gee, I wonder what she'd plan to do with it? I closed my eyes, but she just twirled it and put it in her robes. I blinked, surprised.

She noticed and grinned. "You are not worthy yet of me, my dear. I do not harm defenseless children. After all, I am a mother." She stood up. "But one day you will be strong enough to face me. And when that time comes, I can guarantee that you will lose. I do not underestimate my enemies. Remember that, little one."

With a graceful swish of her cloak, she vanished.

"All aboard!" called a man with red hair and a slightly pompous voice. I hauled my bag to the train, feeling slightly shaken. I knew this was exactly how she wanted to make me feel. Even worse, I don't even know who 'she' is. I've never felt so…discouraged. With a jolt, a realized that it wasn't just because of the lady in black. It's also because of the stuff that I was hearing. While I was walking to the compartment, I heard heated discussions about the houses. I even heard a girl say to another that she would hate her if she ended up in Hufflepuff. I sighed, staring at the window.

Loads of families were saying good-bye. Some kids didn't look back, even when their parents waved frantically. Others were crying in their mother's robes, begging them not to leave. The most interesting family was one with a father with hair sticking all over the place and bright green eyes. Two boys stood next to him. They were clearly his sons, though the younger one was more obvious since he had exactly the same eyes as him. A mother with fiery red hair was there too, with a girl that resembled her. They appeared to be waiting for someone. Then a woman with bushy brown hair arrived, along with who I thought was her husband. He, like the mother of the other family, had hair the color of ginger. He accompanied his two children, one a daughter that looked like the woman, and another, a son that looked like him. They were all chatting animatedly until it was time to go.

I turned back, closing my eyes. The drowsiness had come back, and my eyes were drooping. The train started to move. Okay, now I was really sick. I was about to rush to the nearest bathroom when a voice spoke.

"Hello, can we sit here?"

It was the boy with the green eyes. He had his brother with him, as the girl with bushy hair. I smiled. "Sure."


	2. Chapter 2: Duel In The Compartment

**Chapter 2: Duel in the Compartment**

**Albus's POV**

**Author's Note: Here's the second chapter! I need at least one review before I upload the next one. Read and review, please!**

**P.S. The POVs won't only be Abby's and Albus's. It's going to rotate from Abby, to Albus, to…the rest of the gang. You'll find out who they are soon!**

It all really started in my birthday. It was a few weeks before I went to the Hogwarts express, August 15th. I ate up whatever Grandma Molly put in front of me. You would too, if you've ever tasted her cooking. Heaven in your taste buds.

Mum was cracking jokes, pinching my cheek, and telling embarrassing stories about me to my cousins; same as usual. Dad, though, stayed silent through the whole party. I guess he was pretty worried about me going to Hogwarts. I can't really blame him for getting a bit jumpy. He's an Auror, so he's seen some pretty gruesome stuff.

Then I started opening the presents, or, to be more exact, finishing tearing up half-opened presents. James and Lily are usually too impatient to wait after supper, and when I finally get around doing it they say I'm waaaay too slow.

Granny gave me a hand-knitted sweater with a big 'A' on it. It was warm and snuggly, but a bit lame. I wore it anyway, so not to hurt my feelings. I had to ignore James's laughter while I opened my other gifts. Honestly, I am _so _going to get back at him in his birthday. Unfortunately, it's in April, so I'll probably forget by then. _He_ gave me a sneakoscope. It would have been cool if he hadn't given me the same thing 5 YEARS IN A ROW.

Mom's present was better. She had gotten together with her friends from the Holyhead Harpies, and they put together a notebook with the best Quidditch tactics and strategies. Lily and Rose scoffed at it. They didn't like Quidditch, especially since Aunt Hermione had recounted how Dad once lost all his bones on his arm after an accident.

Dad actually got me a new broom, a sweet Windracer 2000. Still, it didn't compare to Dad's own broom, a _Firebolt. _Even though that model was from when Dad was still a kid (which was about a million years ago) it's still the fastest one today. A little voice in my head said _It's nothing compared to James's present from last year either_. I pushed that thought away. It was mean, and if Dad had two of them I'm sure he'd given it to me. The thing was, he had an invisibility cloak. Not only that, but it's made from a material that never loses its power. How he got it I had no idea, but it was still awesome. Still, he'd given it to James. I shouldn't have even wasted time thinking about it.

Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione's present cheered me up a bit. It was a trunk on which they cast an undetectable extension charm, so I can put any amount of stuff in it and it would just look and weigh the same. They said that they both contributed, but I'm pretty sure that the only thing that Uncle Ron did was buy the trunk.

Uncle Percy's and Aunt Audrey's gift was, as usual, disappointing. Who would want a homework planner for his birthday? Yet I saw Aunt Hermione look approvingly at it.

Uncle George's gift was probably my favorite besides the broomstick. He said that it was one of the last things he and Uncle Fred designed together. Then he got that sad look in his face when he mentioned him. He died a long time ago. How or why, they never told me, and I was too scared to ask. Uncle George got me two identical pieces of thin wire. The only difference between them was that one was slightly tinted green. They curved to a circle, and could fit around your head. I know, I know, if someone gave you something like that for your birthday, you'd probably think that they forgot to go to the shops and grabbed it out of the bin. Still, knowing my uncle, they weren't what they seemed. He told me to put the green one on my head, while he put the other one on. Then….I heard his thoughts. It wasn't like legilimency, which Dad described was seeing flashes of someone's life. I could hear his thoughts as naturally as my own. The only way I knew which thoughts were which was because I knew I'd never think about marble-cake mice. He told me they were called the 'Wisdom Wires.' Simply put it on your teacher's hat, and you know the answer of every question they ask you. They wouldn't feel a thing! Better yet, slip it on your enemies, and you'll know their deepest secrets. I wondered what it would take to get James to wear it.

The next day we went to Diagon Alley to get out supplies. Dad doesn't like going there much, for some reason. I guess it was the fact that everyone kept staring at him and his scar. Why, I didn't know. We split it up. Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron would get the books. Uncle Percy and Aunt Audrey would get the potion supplies. Mum would get the robes. Dad would go with me and Rose, who was starting school like I was, to get the wands.

We went to a shop called 'Ollivander's.' When I met him, I had a shock. He was a thin, frail little man that looked as if he'd drop any second. He had huge eyes as big as a house-elf's. He gestured for us to come in.

"Ah, Mr. Potter. Yes, yes, I remember you very well," He said, staring at my Dad. He looked slightly uncomfortable. I didn't blame him. "Yes, I remember you very well indeed. Yet it has been about twenty-five years since you have set foot in my shop, correct? It was your wife who had accompanied your son, James, last time."

When Dad nodded, he seemed satisfied. "Now, who would these two be?"

"Rose-Rose Weasley," My cousin answered in her slightly bossy voice. She looked like a mini-replica of Aunt Hermione, with bushy brown hair and skinny body. She also had slightly large front teeth, though Aunt Hermione promised to shrink it as soon as possible. Something told me that she used to have big teeth too.

"A-Albus S-Sev-verus P-Potter," I stuttered. He smiled when he heard my first two names.

"Well, now, lets get to business," Ollivander declared, as if we were the ones who were asking the weird questions. "Ladies first, please."

He told Rose to try out a few wands. The last one produced a shower of red sparks.

"Ah, a very nice combination, this is. Cherry blossom, dragon heart-string, very stable, I'm sure. Now," he said, turning to me. "It is your turn, young master."

Like Rose, he handed me a few wands. None of them worked for me. He turned back to his shelves. I was starting to panic, thinking there was no wand suited for me, but he just carried a stack of them and plopped it on the table. I waved each of them. Again, none of them worked.

"Ah, a tricky customer, just like your father," He said with a wink. "I wonder if you need a special combination as well…"

Dad looked slightly alarmed at that. I made me wonder what happened to him with his wand. Ollivander came back with a wand that slightly reminded me of a sword, since the wood thinned as it went up, until it ended with a sharp point. I waved it. It emitted a shower of red sparks.

Ollivander was very surprised. "Interesting," he said. "Very, very interesting."

I started to hate the word. "What's interesting?" Dad and I said at the same time.

"This combination hadn't been used in years. Not since my master's-master's-master's-master's-master's-master's-master's-master's-master's-master's-master's-master lived. The wood of an elder tree," at this, Dad's eyes widened so much that I thought they would pop out, "and the feather of a griffin. The only person who had the same match was none other than Godric Gryffindor."

Great. My pressure on becoming a Gryffindor has reached an all-time high.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Ollivander," said Dad firmly, "But we really must get going." We practically ran to the door.

"I'll be here," He said wearily.

We all seemed to be in an unspoken agreement not to talk about what had happened. I was kind of relieved, though I felt a little guilty when Mum gave me a goodnight kiss. James also suspected that I had something special with my wand, but for once, he decided not to press. It was only a few days before we were going to Hogwarts, so we were all busy packing and unpacking.

Then September 1st came. We went to Platform 9 3/4. Everyone was tense, especially mum. She kept rummaging around unpacking our bags to check that we've got everything.

Dad tried to hel. "Calm down, Gin…"

"CALM DOWN?" Mum screamed at him. Dad might be a fully-qualified Auror, but he shrank at Mum's angry face.

Well, she did stop yelling after a bit. The rest of our family showed up too. I tried to stop the panic swelling inside of me. What if I'm not in Gryffindor? What if I'm in Slytherin? Just when it was time to go, I suddenly blurted out all my worries to Dad. He didn't think it was silly at all, and told me about when he was worried in his first year, too. He actually asked the Sorting Hat to put him in Gryffindor, and it did. It made me feel a little better. I jumped on the train. A few minutes later, it started to move.

I waved to my Dad until he disappeared. As soon as he was out of sight, James started towards a compartment. I tried to follow him, but he shooed me away. "Make your own friends, bro," he said with a wink. Well, at least Rose was with me.

We tried to find another one, but they were all full. The best we could do was a nearly empty one with a slightly-green looking witch in it. She had short, black hair that could just barely get tied up in a ponytail and brown, puppy-dog eyes. I asked her if we could sit, and she said sure. She still looked like she was going to vomit any time, but she didn't get up to go to the bathroom. I edged away from her us much as I could. It might be a bit unfriendly to you, but trust me; you do not want to be stuck with a sick witch. Don't believe me? Visit Aunt Hermione in sloppy joe day.

It was sort of awkward. Rose wanted to read, but apparently she thought it was rude. Still, she kept stealing longing looks towards her books. I didn't know why she bothered, since the girl was only staring at the window. As for me, well, I planned to sit with James to discuss about Quidditch. He'd be trying out for seeker this year, and he's been itching to try out his Eagle 2020 on the pitch. Sort of fell apart, didn't it?  
"You like Quidditch?" The girl asked. I blinked. How did she know that?

"How did you-"

"Kent wears that same expression when he rides on his toy broom," she said matter-of-factly.

"He's your brother?" I inquired. I immediately wish I didn't. Her face turned sad.

"Yeah, I guess you can say that," she answered.

"So…." I said, desperately trying to make a conversation. Judging from her accent, she was from the USA. "You're from America, right?"

For a moment she hesitated, as if she was deciding on how much she would tell me. "Yup, from New York, actually. So….Quidditch?"

Nearly forgot she asked the question. "Yeah, I like it. I'm best at playing seeker, though my brother's got more practice. Still, there was this one time-"

Then, all at once, I started talking. Really talking, not just stiff conversations that I usually have with people who I've just met. Don't ask me why, I really don't know; she just seemed so _open _somehow, if that makes sense. I didn't even have to stick to the stuff that girls like, like dress robes, or love potions. As soon as I started about Quidditch, she asked about my team, and pretty soon we were arguing who would win the world cup. Rose just sighed and finally started reading her book.

We kept on talking until it started to get dark. I estimated that we'd get to Hogwarts in about two hours. Since we were all in our school robes already, we didn't need to change. By now, I started to feel a little queasy. Again, worries about which house I'm going to be in overwhelmed me. What if I'm in Slytherin? No matter what Dad said, I'd rather die than be sorted _there._

The girl noticed the look on my face. "Thinking about what house you're going to be put in?"

I rolled my eyes. I stopped being shy with her when she told me about the time she accidentally stuffed her owl in her bag. "Honestly, how can you guess how I'm thinking? It's like you have my Wisdom Wires."

"What are Wisdom Wires?" She asked curiously.

I started to explain when James popped in. "Hey, Al!" He grinned. Then he looked at the witch. "Who's this?"

"This is-" I turned red. I've been talking to her for over three hours and I still didn't know her name.

"Abigail Ferall," She replied.

"James Sirius Potter," James said, plopping down on a seat. "So, can't wait for the Sorting? Remember what you're dad said, Rosy," He said, grinning at her. "He'll disown you if you're not in Gryffindor."

"Did he really say that?" asked Abigail, shocked.

"Not really," said Rose. "He was just kidding around. He does it all the time."

"Bet Al's going to be in Hufflepuff," He said, grinning at me.

"What's wrong with Hufflepuff?" Abigail said angrily.

"Duh! They're like, the ones that the other founders didn't like," said James lazily.

"'Course they aren't! They're the most loyal ones in the school!" Abigail said.

James shrugged carelessly. "Well, at least they're better than Slytherin."

"Their not bad either!" Abigail shot back. All right, now it was getting weird. Was she actually defending those gits?

"Abigail," I said, trying to reason with her. "They've gotten the most dark wizards and witches of all time! They're pureblood maniacs!"

"Not all of them," She answered. "There's more to them than that. They're really cunning and ambitious, and loads became great potion-makers or Aurors. Some of the bravest people of all time came from Slytherin."

I blinked. It echoed what Dad had said. _One of them was from Slytherin, and he was probably the bravest man I ever knew. _

James laughed. "Well, how 'bout a duel to prove it?"

"No!" I protested. "Dad told us not too.

"Wrong. Dad told _you _not too. Besides, Abby here doesn't have to accept," James said.

"I don't mind," Abigail answered. I stared at her.

"That's crazy!" Rose finally spoke up. "We can really get in trouble, plus he's in second year."

"I don't mind," Abigail repeated. Rose sighed exasperatedly.

"Okay then, let's start," James declared excitedly. "Wands out!"

That's when she turned red. "I, uh, don't have one," She mumbled.

"What!" James gaped at her. "You don't have a-"

"Look, I know it's weird, but my family's stronger without wands," She explained. "We use our hands instead. Can we start now?"

James snorted. "Suit yourself!"

The duel began. I loved the look on James's face when Abigail deflected his spell.

"How did you-" He began.

"Oh, did I forget to mention?" She smiled mischievously. "My Mom's the principal of a school in America. She, ah, pushes me to learn spells. Some of them become very useful."

James glared at her. "You're not the only one with a parent who can teach you spells," He seethed. "Deprimo!"

A blast of wind swept toward Abigail. "Protego!" She crossed her arms. A transparent shield appeared in front of her.

"Incendio!" A fire went on Abigail's robes.

"Aguamententi!" The fire was put out, while also a blast of water pinned James to the wall.

"Impadimenta!" Abigail's torrent of water stopped, and she froze.

Just as James was getting his bearings and started pointing his wand at her, the spell wore off and she yelled, "Avis Oppugno!"

A flock of birds appeared and started pecking James.

"Expulso!" They exploded in to feathers.

It went on that for a long time. Both of them were equally matched. I was betting that she was better than even Rose on at least 'Defense Against The Dark Arts.'

Finally, James made his fatal mistake. "Expelliarmus!"

Nothing happened. He had forgotten that she wasn't using a wand. He only had time to say "Oh, Merlin…"

"Furnunculus!" said Abigail triumphantly. James became covered in boils. She had won the duel.

Everyone laughed, including James. Even Rose produced a chuckle. Then we heard someone who wasn't there before. A boy with blond hair that was almost white and a pointed, arrogant look on his face was doubled up and shaking with guffaws. All laughter instantly stopped.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" James spat.

Scorpius scowled. "Nice _boils, _Potter." He moved along the hall.

Abigail frowned. "What did you do that, for?"

"He's one of those pureblood freaks," James told her. "Probably going to Slytherin, and he had the nerve of laughing at me…."

"We were all laughing at you! _You_ were laughing at you!" She exclaimed. "And that Slytherin nonsense again? Don't you remember what that duel was _about_?" She ran out of the compartment.

She wasn't back for a long time. I glared at James. Had he _already _lost me my first friend? I was starting to get desperate. I considered running out of the compartment and begging for forgiveness, when Scorpius came back. He didn't look happy.

"I'm sorry for laughing at you," He said in a meek voice.

"What?" James said blankly, but he already disappeared. Then Abigail came back in. She looked very pleased with herself.

"Did you make him say that?" I asked in complete disbelief.

She gave me a smug smile. "Maybe." I decided not to ask.

"So, what are Wisdom Wires?" She continued.

I nearly forgot she asked that. "Oh, they're these wires that can read your mind. Uncle George gave them to me for my birthday. They're right over-" I stopped. "They're gone!" I started looking for them. Rose and Abigail helped, but James just went back to his compartment.

"What a nice big brother," said Abigail sarcastically, as she lifted a cushion. It made me feel a little better. For once, someone wanted to be _my _friend, not his.

We searched and searched. We did manage to find one, which turned out to be in the hallway, for some reason. It wasn't the green one, the one that could hear thoughts.

"Maybe one of us should put it on," Rose suggested. "Someone might recognize our thoughts and give it back to us."  
"Unlikely, they probably just threw it in the bin," I said helplessly. Abigail patted me on the back.

"Don't worry about it. We'll find it somewhere. I'll do it," She added, taking the wire from Rose and placing it on her head.

Abruptly, the train stopped. Distinctly, we heard the distant call of, "Firs' years o'er 'ere!"

"Hagrid!" said Rose joyfully. I perked up a bit at the mention of our big friend.

"We're-we're in Hogwarts?" said Abigail. I was surprised to see that she was nervous. Rose noticed too, and smiled at her.

"Let's go find out."


End file.
